The Wolfpack beat Boston College 27-10 on Saturday to finish 7-5 with a bowl game to be decided. The bowl trip will be N.C. State's third consecutive under O'Brien and fourth in his six seasons at N.C. State since being hired before the 2007 season from Boston College. Offensive coordinator Dana Bible will serve as the team's interim coach in the bowl game.

“Coach O’Brien’s service to NC State over the last six years has been sincerely appreciated by Wolfpack Nation,” athletic director Debbie Yow said in a statement. “We especially appreciate his attention toward NCAA rules compliance, a value that will continue to be held by NC State. We wish him well in future pursuits.”

O’Brien was 11-19 against Atlantic Division opponents in the ACC, including 1-14 on the road.

O'Brien completes his tenure in Raleigh, N.C., at 40-35 overall and 22-26 in the ACC. His contract pays him at least $1.2 million through December 2015, the News & Observer reported.

The newspaper reported that Vanderbilt coach James Franklin will likely be the top target for athletic director Debbie Yow. She hired Franklin as offensive coordinator and eventual replacement to Ralph Friedgen when she was at Maryland, but that didn't happen when Friedgen was later fired and Franklin took the job at Vanderbilt.

Before coming to N.C. State, O'Brien spent 10 seasons at Boston College, where he was 75-45 and 37-34 in conference play that included eight seasons in the Big East and two in the ACC.

“I appreciate the opportunity to have coached at North Carolina State University and I feel that the program is in a better place now than when I started,” O’Brien said in a statement. “I’m proud of the young men that I have coached here, for their accomplishments on the field and in the classroom. Wolfpack football is as sound academically as it’s ever been with a (single year) APR of 990 to be reported this spring. I appreciate all of my coaches and wish them the best and I look forward to life after football.”